These annual awards are chosen from line of duty deployments submitted by Connecticut police canine teams that exemplify the highest tradition of police canine law enforcement.  The award plaque honoring Officer Daniel Wasson and the winners of this prestigious award, hangs proudly in the lobby of the Connecticut Police Academy in Meriden, Connecticut.

The Daniel Wasson Memorial K-9 Award Nomination Committee for the year 2006 consisted of Chief Keith Mello of the Milford Police Department, Chief Joseph Dooley of the Orange Police Department and Chief Michael Imbro of the Stratford Police Department who selected the award recipient and two honorable mention recipients from nominations received throughout our state.

This year the selection committee has unanimously selected Officer Eric Rocheleau and his K-9 Partner "Kora", of the West Hartford Police Department, as the recipient of the 2005 Daniel Wasson Memorial K-9 Award. This year’s honorable mention recipients are: First runner up, Officer Thomas Clements and his K-9 Partner "Zak" of the Stratford  Police Department and second runner up is Officer Kenneth Mellor and his K-9 Partner "Harley" of the East Lyme  Police Department.

Officer Eric Rocheleau & K-9 “Kora” were selected for being involved in numerous cases resulting in important captures and seizures of drugs. During a Feb. 2005 car stop, Kora detected 196 bags of heroin hidden in an engine compartment and four days later found 66 more bags on another car stop. In a span of about 5 weeks, Kora assisted in package searches seizing over 55 pounds of marijuana. All of the packages were filled with masking agents. In March, Officer Rocheleau and Kora assisted Avon PD conducting a 3+ mile track for a DUI suspect. In April, Kora tracked and assisted in the apprehension of a stolen car suspect who resisted arrest and fought with officers. During a burglary track in November, a cell phone was located on the track route resulting in the burglar's capture. In July of 2005, a pair of burglars were caught by this K9 team after tracking them from the scene to their location in a local cemetery still in possession of the stolen goods. Kora also assisted in a home invasion capture during a building search. In this case a successful "bark and hold" was done resulting in a capture without suspect injury. This K9 team's most important track involved a mutual aid call for a shooting in Hartford.  Both occupants of the car were shot with the passenger killed. The driver led Hartford PD on a high speed chase.  He then crashed and injured a family while fleeing.  He ran from the scene and was subsequently located. The track involved a difficult city track which included numerous fences, hard surfaces and onlookers.  Kora stayed focused even as she tracked within feet of tied up aggressive dogs. This focus paid off as the suspect was found hiding under a porch with 2 gun shot wounds to the chest.  These are just a few of this K9 team's successes in 2005 leading to their nomination for the Daniel Wasson Award.

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First Runner Up

Officer Thomas E. Clements & K-9 Partner "ZAK"

Stratford Police Department

Cocaine and marijuana taken off street had approximate street value of 11 million dollars. 

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Second Runner Up

Officer Kenneth W. Mellor & K-9 Partner "Harley"

East Lyme Police Department

On April 05, 2005 Officer Mellor responded to the vicinity of Luce Rd in East Lyme for a       reported intoxicated teenager lost in the woods. Officer Mellor deployed K9 “Harley” into the woods adjacent to Luce Rd for an area search. Moments later the K9 alerted by barking continuously barking that he had located the missing teenager. The barking led officer to the location of the teenager where she appeared to be heavily intoxicated in close to freezing temperatures.       

On May 28, 2005 Officer Mellor responded underneath the Niantic river bridge off of Route 156 in East Lyme for reported wrecked abandoned motor vehicle. Upon arrival it was determined that a BOLO had been issued for this vehicle from Waterford Police Department for evading after crashing into a telephone pole in that town. K9 “Harley” was deployed and tacked approximately 8/10ths of a mile all hard surfaces (side walk and pavement) to a pay phone at the intersection of Route 156 & Route 161 where the suspect who was intoxicated and had minor lacerations was trying to telephone a ride out of the area, was located and taken into custody for Waterford Police Department.  

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       On June 28, 2005 Officer Mellor responded to reported burglary in progress of a motor vehicle on Old Black Point Road in East Lyme. Upon arrival Officer Mellor initiated a track with K9 “Harley”, the track proceeded in a northerly direction for approximately ¾ of a mile, through a yard to the edge of the water of an inlet of the Long Island Sound. It was at this time at the edge of the water a suspect determined to be a 15 year old juvenile was found hiding waist deep in water was taken into custody. An addition 18 year old male was subsequently arrested as well. Further investigation determined the suspects admitted to breaking into an additional 10 cars and causing several thousands of dollars in damage to property in the Old Black Point section of East Lyme. This resulted in the two individuals being arrested and charged with 10 counts of burglary and  3 counts of criminal mischief in the first degree

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    On July 04, 2005 at approximately 0400 Officer Mellor and K9 “Harley” responded to Route 201 in Griswold Connecticut to assist the Connecticut State Police with a 2 year old toddler found walking unoccupied along Route 201. Officer Mellor deployed K9 Harley by conducting a reverse track from where the toddler was found. The track proceeded north on Route 201 for approximately ½ mile then proceeded west on an unmarked dirt road. While the K9 was tracking west on this road State Police troopers immediately responded ahead of the direction where the K9 was tracking and begun knocking on the doors of the 6 trailers located on this dirt road. One of the trailers subsequently turned out to be the parents of the missing toddler who were sleeping and unaware that the toddler had opened the front door and had departed the residence.

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    On August 16, 2005 Officer Mellor responded mutual aid to the area of 79 Colman Street in the city of New London to assist New London Police department detectives in a drug search of a motor vehicle. The searched ended with two persons arrested and approximately 1 ounce of cocaine being seized from the vehicle.

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           On August 19, 2005 during early morning hours, officer Mellor responded from home with his K9 partner “Harley” for a reported burglary of McDonalds located on Main Street in East Lyme. Upon arrival it was noted that entry was made through the drive through window that was smashed out and the only thing appeared missing was a large amount of change taken from a Ronald Mc Donald house donation box. The K-9 was deployed and tracked approximately ½ of a mile where the K-9 lost the track. It was about this time two individuals appeared from the woods near where the track ended, one of which had a fresh laceration on his right hand near his knuckles. Officer Mellor had the two individuals stand still and on a ruse Officer Mellor walked the K9 around the individuals and put the K9 in a down position using hand signals only. Officer Mellor then bluffed these two individuals by stating that the K-9 had just alerted by going into the down position and that they were the same odor as that that was at the drive through window. It was at this time the two individuals spontaneously verbally admitted to the burglary. A search of the two suspects determined both to be in possession of a large amount loose change. Resulting in the two individuals being arrested and charged with Burglary, criminal mischief and larceny. 

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            On August 30, 2005 Officer Mellor And several officers responded to Max’s Package store located on Flanders Road in East Lyme for a reported burglary alarm. Upon arrival officers found that the basement door had been pried open. K-9 Harley was deployed inside the building to search for any suspects. It was determined after the K9 had cleared the building that the suspect had attempted to disconnect the alarm inside the building and then fled. Officer Mellor started a canvas of the immediate area checking other business while other officers processed the crime scene. It was during this canvas officer Mellor located an unoccupied motor vehicle parked behind a business with the interior light on and driver side front door open. Weather conditions at this time were heavy rain and hours of darkness. A check of a name on an infraction ticket located in plain view on the passenger side front seat determined the person in question was out of West Haven CT and had numerous arrests for burglary. Officer Mellor then parked his cruiser in a concealed position and maintained surveillance on said vehicle. A short time later a black male appeared from the wood line and moved cautiously to said vehicle. As the suspect was just about at his vehicle officer Mellor verbally identified himself as a Police Officer with a K9 and to get on the ground. The suspect immediately turned and ran back into the wood line from where he had emerged. The distance from where officer Mellor was parked and where the suspect had fled was too great a distance to deploy the K9 immediately. Officer Mellor then drove his vehicle to the location where the suspect had entered the wood line and started a track with K9 “Harley”. As officer Mellor was tracking the suspect through thick underbrush, officer Mellor alerted other officers of the direction of the track and a perimeter was quickly established. As the underbrush thinned out officer Mellor was able to visually see the suspect just ahead about to leave the wood line and enter interstate 95 just north of exit 74. Officer Mellor again verbally ordered the suspect to stop, at which time the suspect hesitated for a moment the exited the wood line onto the freeway running, where he was met by an East Lyme Police Officer and a Connecticut State Trooper and was taken into custody. Once arrested the suspect was found to have $1,500.00 in cash on his person.

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           On August 31, 2005 Officer Mellor conducted an evidence recovery search of the route the suspect had fled the day prior (DPS05-042597). While conducting the search K9 “Harley alerted to an item on the ground which was determined to be a CT drivers License and several credit cards issued to the same name as the license holder and one credit card which belonged to Camelot Daycare located on Flanders Rd in East Lyme. The owner of these items was contacted and he immediately went to his place of business which was located approximately 100 yards from where the suspect’s vehicle from the night before was parked. The business owner checked his business and it was determined that this business was also burglarized and that exactly $1,500.00 in cash was missing. The above mentioned suspect was later charged by warrant for burglary and larceny.

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           On November 27, 2005 Officer Mellor responded to I95 North bound just prior to exit 73 for a reported stolen motor vehicle from a car dealership in Guilford Connecticut that was crashed and abandoned. Upon arrival officer Mellor and K9 “Harley” started a track from the vehicle. While Officer Mellor tracked towards exit 73 and then off the highway at exit 73, officers from East Lyme Police and Connecticut State police conducted a canvas of the area in the direction of the track. K9 “Harley” tracked for approximately 1 ¾ miles to a new construction development. As officer Mellor and the K9 entered the new construction development officer Mellor could see just ahead of him 3 individuals had just been detained by an East Lyme Officer. The K9 continued to track right to the individuals detained where the track ended. A search of the suspects also determined them to be in possession of the ignition key to the stolen vehicle. All three individuals were taken into custody and later confessed to smashing the car dealership window and stealing keys and the vehicle that they had crashed on Interstate 95.   

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